Landy

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Posts by Landy

• 
  78

  The handling of child abuse allegations

  by Landy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  there's a lot of criticism surrounding the jw's handling of chiild abuse within their ranks with a lot of it being well deserved.

  but i'm interested to know how people on here think child abuse allegations should be handled.

  there's a few scenarios below, the first couple are easy then it gets a bit more complex.

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• 

  Landy

  Why would anyone stand around wondering if the police should be called when a child has been victimized?

  When they're not children any more?
  
  
• 
  78

  The handling of child abuse allegations

  by Landy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  there's a lot of criticism surrounding the jw's handling of chiild abuse within their ranks with a lot of it being well deserved.

  but i'm interested to know how people on here think child abuse allegations should be handled.

  there's a few scenarios below, the first couple are easy then it gets a bit more complex.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Landy

  Interesting choice for scenarios, very odd choices. These seem a bit leading

  I made those choices because some of them need to consider what the victim actually wants to happen as well as the difficult choices they bring with regard to safeguarding.

  What needs to happen with straightforward cases of abuse of a small child is just that, straightforward. In a procedural sense if not a human one.

  Even those who say the police should be called regardless of what the victim wants haven't broached the sticky subject of what (if anything) the elders should do to safeguard the other children once the police have no further actioned the case.
• 
  78

  The handling of child abuse allegations

  by Landy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  there's a lot of criticism surrounding the jw's handling of chiild abuse within their ranks with a lot of it being well deserved.

  but i'm interested to know how people on here think child abuse allegations should be handled.

  there's a few scenarios below, the first couple are easy then it gets a bit more complex.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Landy

  In addition the society should establish an independent contact point, as many churches have done

  That's too sensible an idea - it will never catch on.

  For all those (probably including me) who are advocating that the police should be called in all circumstances are we ok with the thought that in some cases this may ride roughshod over the rights of the victim?
  
  
• 
  78

  The handling of child abuse allegations

  by Landy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  there's a lot of criticism surrounding the jw's handling of chiild abuse within their ranks with a lot of it being well deserved.

  but i'm interested to know how people on here think child abuse allegations should be handled.

  there's a few scenarios below, the first couple are easy then it gets a bit more complex.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Landy

  In cases where an adult alleges a crime that occurred when he/she was a minor, same principle, It is up to the adult to determine if he/she wishes to press charges. But if the alleged perpetrator is still a danger to the community, the elders should inform the accuser that they will go to the police

  This. Only took 4 pages to get there!
• 
  78

  The handling of child abuse allegations

  by Landy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  there's a lot of criticism surrounding the jw's handling of chiild abuse within their ranks with a lot of it being well deserved.

  but i'm interested to know how people on here think child abuse allegations should be handled.

  there's a few scenarios below, the first couple are easy then it gets a bit more complex.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Landy

  Fair enough - so you would call the police against the wishes of an adult who wants to report it to the elders.

  FWIW - I agree - I don't think the elders have any right to investigate child abuse and certainly not to question the victim in anyway.

  Once the allegation is made how would you handle safeguarding?

  In the environment you keep referring to it's the say as you just suspend the individual concerned - that's more difficult in a religious organisation.
• 
  78

  The handling of child abuse allegations

  by Landy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  there's a lot of criticism surrounding the jw's handling of chiild abuse within their ranks with a lot of it being well deserved.

  but i'm interested to know how people on here think child abuse allegations should be handled.

  there's a few scenarios below, the first couple are easy then it gets a bit more complex.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Landy

  First off can you READ!!! I said at least TWICE now the Certified Adult Volunteer immediately notifies the police or the authorities!!! We do not leave it up to the victim or the victims family to do this.

  So the elders should contact the police? Regardless of the victim's age and wishes?

  If you go through each scenario and highlight your course of action it would be easier for me to grasp.
  
  
• 
  78

  The handling of child abuse allegations

  by Landy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  there's a lot of criticism surrounding the jw's handling of chiild abuse within their ranks with a lot of it being well deserved.

  but i'm interested to know how people on here think child abuse allegations should be handled.

  there's a few scenarios below, the first couple are easy then it gets a bit more complex.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Landy

  Read my first post again. No where did I say to advise the victim or victims parents to go the police.

  Ok, so you wouldn't go to the police and you wouldn't want the elders to investigate it.

  Which begs the question, how would you handle it? To be frank you seem very big on rhetoric but you haven't come up with a course of action you would recommend for any of the scenarios mentioned.
  
  
• 
  78

  The handling of child abuse allegations

  by Landy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  there's a lot of criticism surrounding the jw's handling of chiild abuse within their ranks with a lot of it being well deserved.

  but i'm interested to know how people on here think child abuse allegations should be handled.

  there's a few scenarios below, the first couple are easy then it gets a bit more complex.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Landy

  The police know how to investigate and how to deal with victims the Elders know NOTHING!!!

  So your recommendation would be that the victim/victim's family should be advised to go to the police. If they choose not to then no other action should be taken?

  How will that course safeguard other children in the hall?

  
  
  
• 
  78

  The handling of child abuse allegations

  by Landy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  there's a lot of criticism surrounding the jw's handling of chiild abuse within their ranks with a lot of it being well deserved.

  but i'm interested to know how people on here think child abuse allegations should be handled.

  there's a few scenarios below, the first couple are easy then it gets a bit more complex.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Landy

  Separately, the elders should make sure that anyone who is placed in care of kids has the appropriate clearance required in that jurisdiction, including the appropriate no objection from the Police or appropriate authority, just like they do in schools and kindergartens.

  Make it clear to the congregation that only those with the relevant clearance are allowed unaccompanied with children.

  Thanks Shepherless for trying to give solutions to the scenarios instead of just spouting rhetoric.

  I can't think of anywhere in the UK that does have mandatory reporting, and the police simply won't be interested if the victim is not wanting to press charges.

  As above it's not practical to CRB 8 million JWs and it's difficult to say when one member may be alone with a child, especially as abuser will create the situation so that they can be. So what do you do to safeguard other kids in the congregation?
• 
  78

  The handling of child abuse allegations

  by Landy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  there's a lot of criticism surrounding the jw's handling of chiild abuse within their ranks with a lot of it being well deserved.

  but i'm interested to know how people on here think child abuse allegations should be handled.

  there's a few scenarios below, the first couple are easy then it gets a bit more complex.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Landy

  I was never a JW but come from an organization where every adult is required to be a Certified Adult Volunteer. We must attend an 8 hour training session annually to review how to IDENTIFY not investigate all forms of child abuse. Our instructions are we do not care if the state law is mandatory reporting if we suspect emotional, physical or sexual abuse - We Report!!!! Second part of the instructions since some of our adult leaders are MALE -- This is drilled over and over into their heads numerous times throughout the day of training. If one of the girls comes to you and says "I am being abused" You need to find a female adult CAV and turn this girl over to her immediately and get lost. No male adult is to be present under any circumstances. Call authorities immediately. The police and the authorities are far more capable of figuring out, they have TRAINED personnel both in the field of investigation and they have TRAINED personnel to deal with VICTIMS!!!!

  In youth groups and similar it's a lot simpler to deal with. You can put the carers through a CRB check and give them training. That's not practical to do to a whole congregation who's role isn't necessarily to act as care givers to minors, but who might come in to contact with children.